Moving a tank!?!?!?!?

S

sardesign

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Sep 28, 2005
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Phoenix, AZ
My co-worker who has had 120 gallon salt-water tanks in the past was giving me a hard time because I decided to go with a glass tank. He said that the acrylic would be easier to move and I wouldn't have to drain more than 50% out of it in case I needed to move it. Does anyone here think this is odd? How in the world could you move a tank that size with water in it?

100 gallons (60 x 24 x 12) weighs 650 lbs of just water weight (not including tank, gravel, etc.) Water weighs 62 lbs per cubic foot. IMHO I can't see anyone moving an acrylic or glass tank around with anything in it safely. I can't even move my 20 gallon tank (it weighs 200 pounds). Does anyone else have any comment on that?
 
You have ot drain all tanks when moving them... i would even do it with a 10gal... maybe a 5 or 2.5 would be ok (no fish in them of course).... I have BIG guys livibng with me and they could not do it.
 
I can't even imagine trying to move something that large with water in it. However, I did just move two 10g tanks from one dwelling to another by draining all but 3g of water. I left the fish, gravel,plants and decor all in the tank. Probably not very smart but I had no problems.
 
I agree with boohoo, moving a large tank full is a bad idea. I have seen tanks being moved with a few inches of water in them and all of the decorations. If you are carefull it will be ok. Of course a tank with a big footprint will have to be handled MUCH more carefully, ie not just the ends. When my friend moved we left about 3-4 inches of water in it (30 gallon tank) and then moved the tank along with the fish in it, they were all small fish (tiger barbs and stuff). Some people might not agree with it, but it was a short move and the drive was done carefully. What you gotta compare is: the stress involved in moving them that way, or the stress involved with netting them, putting them into a bucket and then shortly after that throwing (figuratively speaking) them back in the tank. All of it depends on your exact situation, tank size, amount and size of fish. Either way, a move will be stresssful on your fish, just gotta figure out what will be the LEAST stressful.
 
Cool

I agree... even a few inches of water in a 60" tank still is alot of weight on top of the gravel (75 lbs of gravel for the 60"). I think I would just deal with putting the fish in buckets and then moving the entire tank drained and de-gravelled.... however is there anyway to keep the bacteria alive while doing this? i.e. putting water and gravel into buckets?
 
Your math is off... Water is 8.345404# (or something like that) per gallon. So 100 gallons would be 835# and your 20 gallon tank is 167# of water. But no matter if the tank is glass or plexi you can not move a tank with water in it without the risk of damaging the tank. Yes a Plexi tank will hold up better but you will still stress the tank.
 
OK, if you are talking about a 20 gallon tank and leave a few inches of water in it along with the gravel and decorations, then you will be just fine moving it. If you were to try to do this with a bigger tank, then you will have to have multiple hands along the sides for support, it can be done, it can be done safely and without any problems to the tank if you are CAREFUL. If you can manage it, then this can greatly reduce the work you have to do when considering a move which is already a monstrous event. It will also greatly reduce the time that the fish are in a bucket, in my opinion a good thing. Once agai, for all of the skeptics out there, I repeat, you must be careful and support the tank along the sides well.
 
Water is 62.4 lbs per cubic foot. Check conversion charts.
 
sardesign said:
Water is 62.4 lbs per cubic foot. Check conversion charts.
Click to expand...

This is true but your math is still off...
Weight: 62.416 pounds per cubic foot at 32°F
Weight: 61.998 pounds per cubic foot at 100°F
Weight: 8.33 pounds/gallon, 0.036 pounds/cubic inch
7.481 GALLONS PER CUBIC FOOT

So 100 gallons = 13.367 cubic feet = 834.33# at 32* (not 650# as stated)
 
oops

you're right... 5 x 2 x 1.5 doesn't equal 10.5 :)

it equals 15 cubic feet. well that even more so demonstrates the remote possibility of moving a tank half full of water. Wouldn't moving the gravel into a bucket with water be easier and safer. Would the bacteria survive? Put some fish in there even until the aquarium is moved and situated?
 
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